


There's a shadow hanging over me

by MyownFairytale



Category: American Vandal (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst with a Happy Ending, Best Friends, Bisexual Sam Ecklund, Break Up, Established Relationship, Gay Peter Maldonado, Getting Back Together, M/M, Rumors ruined the relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-28
Updated: 2018-09-28
Packaged: 2019-07-18 17:56:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,250
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16123754
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MyownFairytale/pseuds/MyownFairytale
Summary: Peter and Sam were happy, at least that's what Sam thought. Peter had been acting angry all week and then their underlying tension came to an end on the weekend - with a breakup. But Sam is determined to figure out what caused it and in the end everything is going to be okay...hopefully (with the help from a best friend).





	There's a shadow hanging over me

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Two Documentarians Who Completely Screwed Up Their One Job and Other Buzzfeed Articles About Love](https://archiveofourown.org/works/13986240) by [phonecallfromgod](https://archiveofourown.org/users/phonecallfromgod/pseuds/phonecallfromgod). 



> All mistakes are 100% my fault and if you see any let me know!

„Maybe I should reconsider this relationship.” Peter muttered quietly, looking anywhere but in Sam’s shocked face. Sam couldn’t believe what he was hearing but before Peter found the courage to look at him he already had schooled his face back into the mask he had been hiding behind for the last week. It was a mask of complete neutrality except for the occasional angry and sometimes outright mean glare in his eyes.  
Before he had time to really think about the next thing that was going to come out of his mouth Sam heard himself say: “ Fine. Lets reconsider.” He paused and looked at Peter whose eyes widened in surprise and mouth formed a surprised "Oh". “You and me, Peter, we are done!” With those final words Sam turned around and left the house. 

In the car his actions caught up to him. Sam felt tears streaming down his face but to be honest he couldn’t even feel them. He was numb, just numb. His mind constantly replaying what did I just do? Once Sam realized that Peter was not coming after him, not even to get an explanation for the hasty break up, he put his car in drive and drove towards the park he was supposed to meet Gabi at. Originally those plans included Peter but now Sam was just glad that Gabi would be there to talk. And oh my God he definitely needed to talk. 

Completely dazed he walked towards the fountain. He was supposed to meet Gabi there but he was alone for a few minutes, just waiting. Suddenly he felt a hand on his shoulder. It was Gabi and she was talking to him but Sam couldn’t make out anything she was saying. Everything sounded like he was hearing it underwater. “Sam! Sam! Are you listening to me? What happened?” That finally snapped him out of his daze.  
“Ehm….” He cleared his throat, “ I broke up with Peter. I think.” Gabi stared at him confused. “You fucking did what? Why? Sam what the fuck happened?” Gabi bombarded Sam with all these questions, questions Sam didn’t feel like he even had an answer to. He wasn’t even sure what happened. “I don’t really know Gabi. Peter said that … that” Sam stopped and looked away. Saying it out loud would make it real, would make it a tangible thing he would need to live with. 

“Come on. Lets go sit down before we continue okay?” Gabi interfered with his downwards-spiraling thoughts with a gentle and calm voice. She could tell that Sam was in distress. He had that look on his face that he had when he told her that he was into guys as well as girls, into one guy, Peter, specifically, and that he didn’t know if he should tell him. 

Once they were sitting on the bench Sam decided to just get it over with, to deal with his new reality rather than ignoring it. “Peter told me that he should maybe reconsider our relationship.”  
“He what?” Gabi belted loudly in surprise.  
“Well I mean it didn’t exactly come out of nowhere. We kinda have been fighting the last week and pretty much this whole day and he… I think he was just thinking out loud at that point. Maybe he didn’t even want to say it out loud. I don’t know. But I was just so angry at him for even suggesting it that I told him that we were done.” Gabi gasped and Sam nodded slowly. 

“Oh Sammy!” Gabi hugged Sam close to her side where he laid his face on her shoulder. “Did Peter say anything after that? Or was that it?” Sam shook his head against her shoulder. “ Nothing, really? It doesn’t sound like Peter to not get the last word in.” Gabi mused to herself.  
“I pretty much ran right after.” Sam admitted with a whisper. Gabi turned her body and moved Sam off of her to get a better look at him.  
“Sam. You know usually break ups involve some kind of discussion and begging and I don’t know something. Not you just leaving and that being it.  
“I know but nothing happened. I waited in the car for a little. I mean I was just realizing what I had actually done, that I actually ended our relationship, but Peter was nowhere to be seen. He didn’t even care to fight you know?” Sam could feel tears threatening to make their way down his face and quickly wiped his eyes. It was quiet for a while. Gabi was trying to figure out what to say and Sam was trying to organize the chaos of feelings inside of him. 

“If you don’t mind me asking what have you guys been fighting about?” Gabi resolved the calm.  
“It’s a long story. I’m not completely sure. It started last Sunday after the fall house party at Taylor’s house. I slept over at Peters after the party. We were both tipsy - I might have been more drunk-ish and then on Monday after that Peter was just sorta sniping at me, being all “passive aggressive”. I asked him what was wrong but he insisted that nothing was wrong. This was pretty much our relationships day-to-day timeline until yesterday. Peter was looking at his phone and then he said you know … that and the rest you know.” 

Gabi nodded slowly, the wheels behind her head turning already.  
“Well...do you know what he could have been looking at?” Sam shrugged. It could’ve been anything. Peter wasn’t big on posting social media but he kept up with it only to improve his "future employment options" - his words not Sam's.  
“I’m guessing he was looking at his social media.” Gabi stated. Sam looked at her questioningly.  
“I mean you said it started after the party and let’s be honest everyone posts about the fall party.” Gabi explained her thought process.  
“Yeah you could be right. But what would be on social that would make Peter say...” Sam paused “something like that? I mean I didn’t post anything and as far as I remember nothing happened at the party that could jeopardize our relationship.” 

Sam felt Gabi’s eyes on him. “As far as you remember? Do you not remember everything?” Her voice had gotten scarily focused.  
“Maybe for like an hour? I’m not sure but no one has told me anything embarrassing yet so maybe I wasn’t like obviously drunk?” Gabi shook her head a little and started typing into her phone. Sam was fidgeting with a small piece of wood that was sticking out of the bench. 

After a few minutes Gabi’s phone was shoved under his nose. It showed a video of the back of Sam and a guy walking into a closet. They were both laughing at something Sam was saying. After a few seconds the video cut to people yelling, “kiss kiss kiss”. Another cut and Sam was walking out of the closet, closely followed by Raphael Herz, who was grinning widely. Apparently Sam and Raphael were filmed while playing Seven Minutes in Heaven. 

Sam was shocked and kept thinking if he really kissed someone else or did he even do something worse. Was this why Peter was so mad? “Gabi. Oh my. Gabi. What the hell was that? What did I … Oh my God I need to talk to Peter!” Sam said while he was trying to get up from the bench but Gabi grabbed his arm to stop him.  
“Sam. You need to calm down. You can’t even see you doing anything in the video. How do you know if you did anything?”  
“Gabi. I can’t. What if I cheated on him? Why can’t I just remember?” Sam asked himself and looked at Gabi.  
“I think you should go talk to Peter. I mean he clearly thinks something is up but he didn’t like confront you about it so maybe he doesn’t completely believe what you can see in the video?” Sam’s eyebrows shot up and he started fishing his phone out of his back pocket. 

Sam called Peter and while is was ringing he just kept praying that Peter is actually willing to talk to him after the way he acted just a few hours ago. After the fifth ring Sam was ready to hang up but Peter answered. “Sam. What do you want?” Peter’s voice sounded defeated; like he was dreading that Sam was calling but that he didn’t have the energy to fight.  
All of the sudden Sam was nervous. He didn’t know what to say that would make Peter be willing to meet up with him. “Hi Peter. I think I or more me and Gabi figured out…” Sam laughed nervously and scratched the back of his neck, “We think we figured out why you said, you know, what you said. Could we maybe meet up to talk about it?” 

As Peter answered Gabi squeezed Sam’s hand in a show of support. Whatever Peter was saying they would figure it out. Sam hung up, turned to Gabi and said: “He said yes. I can’t believe he said yes. We are meeting at his house in about 10 minutes so I gotta go.” Gabi smiled a little at Sam’s excitement but she nodded and softly pushed Sam off the bench. “Go get your boy back!”  
Sam waved at her as he walked back to his car. 

“Hey Sam. Come on in!” Peter greeted Sam about 5 minutes later at his door. They walked up to Peter’s room. “So what did you find out?” Peter asked after Sam hasn’t said anything for a few minutes. “Gabi found the Instagram video. That’s what you were looking at earlier right?” Peter nodded slowly, keeping his eyes locked onto Sam’s face. “Is that also why you have been mad this last week?” Sam asked.  
“No. I just saw the video today. But I have been hearing rumors this whole week. Apparently Raphael has been saying that he sucked you off in the closet. I didn’t believe him because I didn’t see you with him at the party but after I saw the video. I just felt like it might be true.” Sam let his head fall into his hands in despair and shock. He didn’t want to believe that he would cheat on Peter, even with his first sorta crush Raphael. 

“Why didn’t you just ask me?” Sam finally wondered out loud. Peter shook his head and took his glasses off. “To be honest I didn’t want to know. I mean I did but I also didn’t. Especially if it was all just some rumor.”  
Sam felt sick to his stomach. Peter, wonderful and lovely Peter, didn’t want to believe a rumor about him and now he couldn’t even assure him that Raphael was lying. “I’m sorry Peter. I was like really drunk at this point so I…” “So you thought you could cheat on me?” Peter interrupted Sam with a deadly tone in his voice. “No oh my…” Sam went towards Peter to reassure him but Peter stepped away from him. “Peter. I don’t remember. I didn’t even know that I played Seven Minutes in Heaven and I seriously doubt I would do anything with Raphael.” Sam explained but Peter continued to look at him skeptically. “Seriously Peter I am only with you. I have been crazy about you for so long why would I do something to jeopardize it?” Sam pleaded but Peter refused to say anything and just shrugged. 

Suddenly Sam’s phone started to ring. After looking at Peter for permission Sam answered it. It was Gabi and she told Sam to put his phone on speaker so she could talk to both of them together.  
“Hey Sam, Peter. I figured out how to prove that Sam didn’t do anything.” Gabi began her story. “I got my older brother, Alex, to call Raphael and threaten him into telling the truth. He recorded the call and Raphael said that he tried to kiss Sam but Sam told him that he has a boyfriend. Apparently Raphael felt like he needed to prove how much of a player he is by spreading that stupid ass rumor. So… yeah that’s all I wanted to say.” Gabi finished her explanation and after a few seconds neither Peter nor Sam had said anything so she told them bye and hung up, figuring they needed to talk without her listening to it. 

Sam put his phone away while still staring at Peter not sure who was supposed to talk first.  
“Peter, look I am sorry. I shouldn’t have put you in that position but next time please just ask me.” Peter didn’t answer but he walked over to Sam and hugged him tightly. “I love you. I’m sorry. I will talk to you next time.” Peter whispered into Sam’s shoulder.  
Sam’s smile slowly took over his face and he kissed Peter. “At least everything is fine now. I love you, too and next time I promise you I won’t blow up and break up with you.” Peter grinned and took Sam’s hand into his. “So… do you wanna watch a movie now? Or maybe not watch it?” Peter asked with a laugh in his voice. Sam’s laughter was answer enough so Peter walked over to his bed tugging Sam with him. The rest of the evening they were in their own love bubble, talking and smiling, cuddling while watching and then not watching the movies.

**Author's Note:**

> Kudos and comments are appreciated :)  
> As well as constructive criticism ;)


End file.
